La Grenouille Sautante.

Meghan and I have been scheming up a French meal for the last few months and finally got our hubbies and kids together to make one (Saturday 15 May). We were cooking and eating from about 4 in the afternoon til 11:30 that night. It was intense...the most gourmet meal I've ever helped prepare...and so fun!

Here's the menu we used for the occasion:

La Grenouille Sautante = The Jumping Frog
(I wanted the menu to be classy yet whimsical,
thus the frog jumping over the flowers :0))

*I actually made this menu last year for Tim's PROM dinner,
and just tweaked a few things for our dinner.

(Click on the menu to enlarge.
Meghan (with a little help from me) picked out delicious courses.)

I set the table up in my Parent's grand room, but it was actually a beautiful evening so we later moved it outside on the patio.

Jon with the kids.

Neither of us really had really gotten ready that morning BUT I thought it'd be fun to take some pictures with us and the kids.

Brie was being SO squirmy and would NOT look at the camera!


We started off with our appetizer (stuffed tomatoes)
and our drink (sparkling cranberry juice)...


(Look at Brie here...she looks like she's doing
the peace sign with both hands. Love it!)

And then we were back in the kitchen to get the main dish and side dishes prepared...

Bry and Brie whipped up a delicious
pound cake for part of the dessert.




The evening was inspired by Julia :0)

I remember having this potatoes in France when I lived with the Lompré Family and now have a new appreciation for Anne-Marie making them.

Meghan and Tim browning the Filet Mignon. It was to die for!

Et Voilà...our dinner. It was amazing!


But we weren't finish yet. While Bry & Jon got things cleaned up and Tim and Meghan started on the dessert, I whipped up some hot chocolate (thanks to Marlene, Michelle and Christy bringing some home for me from Paris. Merci!).

And last but not least, we had poached pears with a chocolate sauce for dessert...





(It was Tim's idea to garnish with blackberries.
They added a nice touch.)

What a gourmet adventure...
Thank you Beutlers!!

Liahona.

Well, it's official. Tim has graduated from high school! Friday morning I got him up to do a short little "Graduate" photo shoot...and it was perfect timing. We took a few shots and minutes later it was raining! Here are a few of the graduate...

Later that day my whole family - Elder Sheets + Nichole Mitchell (an "adopted" member of the family :0)) met at Los Hermanos for dinner. I'm no connoisseur of Mexican food, but I love this place. It's been a family favorite for years.

Here's Brie with her Aunt "Awm", heading to the restaurant.

Friday I was feeling super crummy and under the weather (I've been dealing with my 4th "cold" of the season. Please be the last!!) but thankfully Rach and Em glued themselves to Brie for the evening! It was a win-win for everyone...Brie LOVES her aunts :0)

Brie chowed the food! At one point she had grabbed a spoon and was digging into the salsa bowl. Oh Brie :0)

Us girls outside the restaurant.

As always, had to request a family snapshot.

Commencement took place at the Provo Tabernacle.

Brie with her Aunt "watch".



Brie running up and down the pews in the Provo Tabernacle AFTER the graduation.


Tim was one of the commencement speakers. He did a great job...speaking on the "liahonas" (guides/compasses/inspirations) in his life. Here are two...

As one of Tim's graduation presents I made him a bookmark with the following saying:

When changes come in life,
it’s not God trying to
take away from us,
but rather he has more to give.
It is up to us to
open our arms
to gratefully receive
all that He has in store.

It's an idea that my mission companion, Sister Muntinga, and I had while serving together, and it's gotten me through a lot of transitions the last few years. Now I just need to keep it in mind this Summer when we move.

In any case, Congrats, Bud! You made it!! Now on to new adventures :0)

Times up Friday.

For those of you who haven't heard...I'm doing a Give Away on my Belle Petite Photo Blog. If you're interested in entering, check out the details by clicking on the link below...

Belle Petite Photo Give Away

**For those of you who have already seen my plug in a MILLION places, I apologize! I'm just trying to be more proactive about getting the word out this time :0)**

Famous Canadian Favorites.

Last week (Thursday, 13 May) Julie, Isaac, Heather and I
headed up to West Jordan to try out...

(I thought it'd be fun for Heather to try some
Canadian food before she leaves for Toronto.)

Papipa.

(if I have the story right, his grandson was
trying to say, "Grand Papa", he said Papipa, and it stuck.)


We all ordered one or two things and then shared.
(Croque Madame & Croque Monsieur, Poutine, Meat Pie,
Maple Syrup Pie and something else that I forgot the name of :0))

I've tried poutine in a handful of places and I thought their's was good! It sure beat the fast food version I had at A&W in Nova Scotia :0)

I kept joking with Heather that we should take a picture with her and Papipa, so at the end we got one....she's such a good sport :0)

We drove away after eating and the general consensus was that the food was pretty good, the prices were pretty good and the service was friendly. Honestly though Canadian cuisine isn't known for being amazing, but if you want to have a little Canadian experience in Utah, I think this place is fun. It was especially fun to be able to speak French (and talk about Québec) with the owner. Oh good ol' Québec!!!

**Speaking of Québec, if things work out my Mom (and possibly Dad) and I will be flying there in July to attend a sealing in the Montréal temple. Do you remember the LeFebvre family who came to visit last Summer? Well it's them. Anyway, I hope it will work out because I would LOVE to go!**

El Bautismo.

For the last year or so Bryan has home taught a sweet little family from El Salvador. (The Mom isn't a member, but comes to church when she can. The oldest of the two daughters was baptized a few years ago.) He was so excited when he found out that Nancy was preparing for baptism and that she wanted him to baptize her...what a special thing for him. In any case, last Saturday (15 May 2010) Nancy was baptized.

Sweet Nancy, before her baptism.

Bry, Nancy and the Sister Missionaries
(the one on the right is from BC, Canada!)

Former Home Teachers = Brother Matsu & Bryan
She was so touched by and happy about the baptism that she couldn't stop crying. It really was a tender experience.

A few days before Nancy's baptism, Bry & I went over to her house to run through the baptism program. Her sweet Mom, Katia, invited us to the BBQ afterward and when we asked what we could bring Nancy requested a white cake with strawberry filling. This is what I ended up making. Let's be honest, it looked OK here, but by the time I transported it to the park the Cool Whip on top had melted and the strawberries were sliding off. Oh well :0)

Nancy seemed to enjoy it...


Happy, Happy times :0)